“We’re working, of course.” Mai’s gaze narrowed, and her pointed chin came up defiantly. “What are
“I came for some documents the captain wants. That’s not the point. What’s my mother doing here? Last time I checked, she didn’t work for the city or the county.”
Mai glanced at Peggy. “She’s helping me do some research.”
“With
“I don’t think that concerns you, Officer Lee. Your mother and I had business here. Now we’re leaving. Good-bye.”
Paul put one hand on Mai’s shoulder as she started to move away. “Hold on a minute—”
“I’m a thirty-second-degree black belt,” she warned with a laser glance at his hand. “Don’t invade my personal space unless you want to lose a hand.”
Paul’s green gaze clashed with Mai’s infuriated brown eyes. “Yeah?”
“Is there a problem, Officer?” a short security guard with bulldog features asked him.
“No problem.” Paul took his hand away from Mai’s shoulder. He waited for the security guard to walk away, then turned back to the two women. “Unless you want me to mention this to Lieutenant Rimer, the two of you better wait outside for me. I’ll only be a minute.”
Mai ignored him and walked outside. Peggy smiled and followed her. Paul shook his head and went to the front desk.
“Do you think he means it?” Mai asked his mother when they were alone.
“I think we should tell him what we’re doing. The best way to keep someone quiet is to make them an accomplice.”
“You’re pretty sharp, Peggy. Paul can’t report us if he’s guilty, too.” Mai shivered. “But I think we should wait in the car. It’s freezing out here.”
When Paul came out, he told them his shift was over. “Let’s not draw any more attention to this, whatever it is. I’ll meet you at your house, Mom.”
“I’ll put some coffee on,” Peggy agreed before he went back to his squad car.
Mai shifted the small freezer chest she was using to protect and transport the blood and tissue sample they collected. “I suppose he means me, too.”
“I’m sure he does. But don’t worry, we’ll talk to him, and everything will be fine.” Peggy looked at Mai as she started the car. “Do you really have a black belt?”
“No. But everyone thinks I do because I’m Asian. It comes in handy sometimes. Bruce Lee made all of us masters of the martial arts.”
Paul followed them back to Queens Road. With the cold and the light drizzle, the streets were nearly deserted. It was unusual for Peggy to be out in the city late at night. She admired the lights and the shimmering lines of glossy black pavement. Especially because it gave her something to think about instead of what they’d just done.
Mai slapped her hand on the steering wheel. “I can’t believe he’s escorting us to your house! What does he think we are? Incompetent teenagers?”
Peggy didn’t comment. There was enough friction between those two to light up a house. Someday they’d realize what it was all about. It would be nice to have grandchildren before she was too old to appreciate them. Or before she went to jail for all the laws she’d broken tonight.
She was pleased not to find anything damaged in her house. Shakespeare galloped to the door, letting out long, low woofs as he came. He wagged his tail so hard that it contorted his body left and right. Then he licked Mai and Peggy, grinning at them.
“It’s a good thing you have such a big place,” Mai remarked, her eyes following up the side of the blue spruce. “You couldn’t keep a dog this big in my apartment.”
Peggy put on the coffeepot. “Until I was coerced into it, I would’ve sworn this house wasn’t big enough for both of us. But I think it’s going to work out.”
Mai was asking about the history of the house when Paul came into the kitchen. She stopped speaking midsentence and sat down at the kitchen table.
“Okay.” Paul glared at them both. “Who’s going to tell me what’s going on?”
He was grim-faced through the entire explanation. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and sat back in his chair, purposely not looking at his mother. “Besides the laws you’ve broken doing this, did it ever occur to you that whatever you find will be useless?”
Peggy stirred sugar into her coffee. “Why is that?”
“Because the district attorney will immediately have the evidence we found as well as anything that extends from its discovery declared not admissible.” Mai looked at Paul. “Does that about cover it?”
“You should’ve thought of that before you took a chance on your career,” he answered. “The best thing to do is get rid of whatever you took out of there. Forget about it. Chances are, no one will call you on it.”
“But if we discover there was alcohol in Mark’s body, that might be enough to reopen the investigation,” Peggy disagreed. “Even if the evidence isn’t admissible in court, it would at least lead the police to someone besides Mr. Cheever.”
“You’re not a lawyer, Mom. And the lieutenant is gonna be pissed when he finds out you were involved with this again. It’s against the law to impede an investigation.”
“But that’s the problem. There
